Planooraph co



E. SCHNEIDER. DOOR FOR THE EXIT 0F TORPEDOES LAUNCHED FROM TORPEDO TUBES.

APPLICATION FILED MAYIS, 1917. 1,3103

Patented July 22, 1919.

2 SHEETS SHEET I.

THE COLUMBIA PLANOURAPH C0 WASHINGTON, b. c.

E. SCHNEIDER. DdOR FOR THE EXIT 0F TORPEDOES LAUNCHED FROM TORPEDO TUBES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY I5. I917.

Patented July 22, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Q' ZL% THE COLUmm-m PLANOGRAPH c0., WASHINGTON. D. C

rrnn s rnrns rnrnnr oration EUGENE SCHNEIDER, OF LE CREUZOT, FRANCE, ASSIGNOR TO SCHNEIDER & CIR, 0F PARIS, FRA1\TCE, ALIMITED J OINT-STOCK COMPANY OF FRANCE.

noon son rnnnxrr or ronr'nnons LAUNCHED FROM TOREEDO-TUBES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 22, 1919.

Application filed May 15, 1917. Serial No. 168,856.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EUGENE SCHNEIDER,

pedo' ,tube, and also the moving out of the way ofva door or shutter or movable caisson WlllCh is formed, according to the circumstances, either in the hull or inythe superstructure of the vessel, and which when normally closed, insures the continuity of the lines of the said hull or superstructure;

a Inthe known arrangements of this kind and particularly when they are employed in combination with torpedo tubes directed toward the stem of the vessel,- doors are provided in the hull of the vessel hinged on ver tical axles; they are approximately parallel to the stem, and for the purpose of launching" the torpedo, they are adapted to move outvof the way, in most cases into the interior, that is to say, toward the central vertical longitudinalplane of the vessel.

If, as is generally, the case, the torpedo tubes in the stem are arranged symmetrically to the centralvertical longitudinal plane of I the vessel, the known system above referred to does not allow of arranging the tubes symmetrically sideby side,for the reason that it is necessary to provide in the central vertical plane between the two adjacent I tubes, accommodation for the two doors in i their open positlon's; i

Further, the doors which are pivoted to the stem and are adapted to move out of the way, that is to say,- to open into the central vertical longitudinal planelof the vessel,

should for the same height havea greater length,- because in order to fine off the shape of the forepart of the/vessel, the'exit end of the tube is shiftedfarther In thiscase the door support whichis arranged along when opened. I

as well as its hinges, are subjected to excessive strains. Moreover, if the shape of the hull at the place which is to be cut for the doors, comprises complex curves, great difficulty will be experienced in hinging the doors, and they will take up still more room Those drawbacks are now done away with ,by the present invention, according to which the exit doors provided in the hull or in the structure opposite the covers of the corresponding torpedo tubes, are movable on horizontal or approximately horizontal axles, extending approximately along the flow lines of the hull or superstructure at the apple manner ofcombining the openingand closing movements of each door with the corresponding movements of the corresponding torpedo tube cover, aflords the following advantages:

i 1. It allows of fining off the lines of the forepart of the vessel:

a. By arranging the torpedo tubes as near to the central vertical longitudinal plane of the vessel as the actual construction of thesetub'es will allow. As a matter of fact there is none'cessity for providing between the prolongation of the two tubes, accommodation for any part of the doors, because the latter may be adapted to open toward the outside of the vessel if necessary.

6. By arranging the end of the tubes farther away from the stem and lengthening the doors for which it is easy to provide always a goodbearing upon their rotational axles, since the latter areparallel to the long horizontal dimension of the doors, which dimension alone'increases with the distance of ;upon the said doors.

2. It facilitates the adaptation of a door to hulls which have very curved lines at the place where this door is desired to be provided-i Finally, instead'of fixing the device for actuating the door, to the body of the door,

' in section of a general arrangement of a other vessel.

door constructed according to thisinvention in combination with a torpedo tube arranged wholly inside the hull of a submarine or This figure shows also the mechanism connecting the said door to the cover that closes the fore end of the tube.

Fi 2 is a horizontal section on the line 11-h of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line III-III of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section similar to that of Fig. 3; it illustrates a modified form of the door.

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are respectively a perspective elevation, a plan, and a vertical section on the line VII VII of Fig. 6, illustrating the application of the invention in combination with a torpedo tube arranged wholly inside the superstructure of a submarine or other vessel. 7

' In the example shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, the-installation is assumed to comprise two setsof the improved apparatus arranged symmetrically to the central vertical longitudinal plane of the vessel.

'In these figures, A is the torpedo tube the fore end of which projects out through a partition B, and may, as shown in Fig. 2, be situated very close'to the stem Q without the opening of the doors interfering in any way with the fineness of the lines of the forepart of the vessel.

D indicates the contour of the aperture formed in the side of the vessel; this aperture which is normally closed by the door E is entirely uncovered by the opening of the door for the launch of the'torpedo. This opening of the door must allow an, entirely free passage for the curves of the torpedo outside the vessel.

The door E is hinged in all cases directly or by means of suspension arms, in such a manner as to be capable of turning with axle 6 extending approximately parallel to the'horizontal sections of the hull plating at the corresponding part of the vessel.

In the examples shown in; Figs. 1 to 4, the axle e is arranged in such a manner as to allow of the door opening toward the outside of the vessel. This axle whichis not limited in length by the height of the door,

may be arran ed inall cases as closely as desired to the ongitudinal edge ofthe door,

without this position being determined by the necessity for moving the door out of the Way andof the space taken up by the door when so moved out of the way.

As Shown, the axle may be mounted on the hull plating orjournaled in bearings e fixed to the latter. In this caseit is rigidly connected to the door E by means of hinge straps e or other equivalent devices.

In the example shown in Figs. 5 to 7 illustrating the improved apparatus in combination with a torpedo tube contained in the superstructure of a vessel, the hinge axle of the door is arranged below thelatter and below the path of the torpedo, and the door is arranged to open toward the inside of the vessel. l

In the modification shown in Fig. 4, the door E has a lens-like shape which allows of reducing as much as possible its resistance to the progress and rolling motion of thevessel when it is moved into 1ts open position as indicated in dot and dash lines.

The moving of the doorout of the way is effected in all cases in the known manner by means of mechanism which is actuated preferably in connection with the actu atin mechanism of the cover F of the tube A; but; contrary to that which takes place in the known arrangements, the part actuating the door may, according to the present invention, be fixed on the hingeaxleof the door. 'The mechanism comprises a toothed sector 6 fixed'onthe axle e and engaging a worm G journaled in a suitable'bracket H. 00 The spindle of this worm G carries a bevel wheel 9 engaging a pinion 2' carried by an axle I journaled in the bracket H. -;A Cardan-joint gearing Jjj connects the axle I to the shaft K that carries the worm L actuating the cover I The mere actuation of the shaft K allows of operating simultaneously the, door E and the cover F through the medium. of the described gearing. The cap F is preferably mounted in the manner described in Laubeufs French Patent, No. 403991 of 7th October 1908; it is jointed at its center to an axle f carried by an arm M, fixed on an axle m journaledin a bracket a fixed to the side of the tube A. On the axle mthere' is fixed a toothed sector N engaging the worm L. V

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to'secure by Letters Patent is: v i Y 1. In combination, a boat provided with a torpedo tube and having a torpedo 1 exit openlng in the side thereof, a closure for said opening provided with asubstantially horizontal axle fastthereto, said axle hav mg approximately the direction of the flow lines of the hull of the boat. i

2. In combination, a boat provided with a torpedo tube and having a torpedo exit opening in the side thereof, a closure for said opening provided with a substantially horizontal axle fast thereto, said axle having approximately the direction of the flow lines of the hull of the boat, and provided with a gear member and door-operating means adapted to engage said gear member.

3. In combination, a boat provided with "a torpedo tube having a hinged cover, said boat having a torpedo exit opening in the side thereof, a closure for said opening provided with a substantially horizontal axle fast thereto, said axle having approximately the direction of the flow lines of the hull of the boat, and a common means for operating 15 said cover and said door axle.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EUGENE SCHNEIDER.

Witnesses CHAs. P. PERSSLY, ANDRE MosTroKER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five oentseach, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. 0. 

